Hi all,
I was wondering if someone could clarify something for me. It may seem like a silly, pretty straight-forward question but as it concerns birth control, I would rather make sure I fully understand!
I'm going on holiday on Sunday, for which the first week will be by the beach (2nd week in London so not bothered about having my period then). I'm also due to start my period on Sunday or Monday (after having taken the last one today). The leaflet says:
So if I want to start exactly a week later, I take another 7 pills (tomorrow until next Thursday) then stop on Friday. This means I should come on around Sunday or Monday the week after, then I should start taking them the Friday after that, right? Do I just start with a completely new pack and "waste" 2 weeks' worth of pills or what? Or do I (after my period) just take 2 weeks? It's not 100% clear and I definitely don't want to make a mistake with it! Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
You could ask at the pharmacy, but if it's the same dose every day, then my understanding is that it doesn't matter if you take the pills continuously, and you just keep taking them until you want to take a break, and it really doesn't matter - you don't waste the pills - they are just numbered so you can keep track of them better...
Personally, I'd just keep taking the tablets until the holiday is over...
I haven't taken the pill for years but when I did, if I wanted to skip a period for some reason I would just start the next packet immediately and take them all as usual until that packet had finished. That way I didn't end up with a partially used packet of pills.
Maybe that would work for you? There is no problem in running packs together.
Enjoy your holiday!
Problem is it's a very long holiday - after London heading to Portugal for 2 weeks and definitely don't want to be on my period there!
EDIT: Can always ask at the pharmacy, it's true...
Definitely ask at the pharmacy, but I remember many years ago hearing on the radio one of the researchers who invented contraceptives, and he said that the only reason why we have 'periods' when we take the pill is because a lot of women feel that is more 'normal' than being without periods at all.
I recently had mirena removed, after 3.5 years. 3 years with no periods...
I would have left it in longer, but the side effects were getting to me (anxiety and it added to underlying depression which was mostly a stress reaction, pain, weight gain). I've also had Implanon for 5 years straight -again, no periods. As someone who doesn't store iron very well, my iron levels were never better after the 5 year stretch.
I knew a girl, once, who went literally years without having a period, by just continually taking the pill, without a break.
God knows, if there were any long term effects, but during the time I knew her, she seemed fine with it all, and saved a few bob on female requisites, to boot.
The ol' boing boing has the same result, but no time to organise.
Well I have PCOS and one of the symptoms of this is amenorrhea, so I could go months and months without a period... sounds just peachy but then I was paralysed when it finally happened (and constantly panicking I was pregnant). It's for this reason I take the pill, but now it doubles as birth control. The doctor told me it's important for me to have regular periods to lower the chances of ovarian cancer etc.
Am currently trying to contact one of my nurse friends on FB but she seems to have gone offline, but I can ask at the pharmacy no problem.
Thanks for the advice! Stupid of me to not think of asking at the pharmacy, I had it in my head I needed to speak to the doctor when of course that's not the case. I blame my severe lack of holiday up to this point.
I was told by the doctor that you need to take at least the month's dose to be safe, but can take extra from the next pack to delay your period.
Then you take the break when you want and start with the next month, so "waste" the rest of the half used pack. Although waste just means store until next time you want to do the same.
Was just coming here to post exactly that, so thanks!
My nurse friend came back online. She said I can just continue the pack, taking 28 instead of 21, have my 7 day break but then I have to take a whole pack the next time. I can keep the 14 left over when I want to delay my period again (for example if we have a sunny weekend when I get back and I want to swim in the lake).
Basically, she said you always need at least 21 pills in one go.
Regular periods decrease the risk of ovarian cancer? Huh. I would have thought the opposite to be true. I always thought it was regular cycles of ovulation/menstruation create more estrogen exposure and higher risk of ovarian cancer.
Hope you get a response to your more pressing question!
Meh, it's what I was told at some point. Also I don't enjoy being crippled in pain! I do have my answer now (see above).
In general I just give an extra dose of Calcium/Magnesium 1-2-3 days before my period would start, doing it for some other couple of days, so my period turns up some other couple of days later.
If you want to avoid having your periods you can perfectly take your pill continuously,not stopping for the 7 days break.
Me, I take the Cerazette, which is progesterone only. Haven't had periods in years, bliss!
I can't comment on ovarian cancer but if what you say is true, one would also want to consider that irregular cycles and less estrogen exposure isn't good for your bones.
if you say it is going to be a long holiday then i would recommend stopping the pills right now to as to prepone your periods-no worry for the next whole month, done that quite a few times earlier.
Yes, but then she loses her contraceptive protection, and it's during the holidays that you need it the most!
Glad you got the answers you needed and have a great holiday.
Just wanted to pick up on your doctor saying you needed a regular period to lower chances of ovarian cancer. I've never heard of this before and would be interested to know if there is any research to back it up. Why would women need to have more periods? In fact, in the days before the contraceptive pill, women had significantly less periods over the course of their life than we have today (they had many more pregnancies and therefore many less periods).
Anyway, newest research shows the pill actually reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 28%. And since the bleed a woman has when she is on the pill is not actually a period (it is just the withdrawal of hormone) and the fact that there is no medical reason to withdraw the hormone - it was actually for social/cultural reasons that the first generations of the pill operated on a 28 day cycle (21 days of hormone/7 days placebo) because the drug companies felt that women, and the church, would be more accepting of the pill if it resembled a regular cycle - why would having a bleed every 21 days somehow protect you from ovarian cancer? Maybe you should ask your doctor a bit more about it next time you have an appointment. I'd hate to think he/she is telling women this if it isn't actually supported by science.
ive asked this question to my Doc
Think we all do it at some stage. He told me its really not a problem, (for me anyways)
Though when I used to do this (Im off the pill 1 year) I would take the full extra 30 days. Least that way I wouldnt confuse myself and wouldnt be left with a half pack!
I remember one time I went back to ireland, forgot my pill. Tried to get a repeat from the doc & he said I would have to make an appointment (in 3 days time) Long story short, the pharmacist told me I could have gone best part of a week without my pill and still be "safe". I just thought that was a stupid thing to tell some one. I would never have taken the risk but . . . I would never advise some one "sure, itl be grand"
To be honest, it was about 8 years ago and have no idea which doctor it was!